Thomas Hudson Young 1884-1978

Tom and Ethel

He attended Orepuki School travelling on foot for five miles and arriving basically in time to return home, until 22 May 1894 when he with Jessie, William, James, Irven and Ernie were first day pupils of the Waihoaka school, which eventually closed in 1946.

When his father died on 26 February 1899 he helped his mother and brothers to carry on the farming venture for another twenty years, and during this time they increased the sheep numbers and established a large herd of dairy cows as well as producing several hundred tons of potatoes each year.

During World War I, he applied for Military Service but was turned down for medical reasons. Immediately after World War I, in 1919 the family farm was subdivided into three farms of which Tom obtained one, which he farmed and built a new home on, for his future wife Margaret Ethel Garden. She was the only daughter of Louis and Jessie Garden of PaMa, and they married in First Church, Tay Street, Invercargill on 29 January 1920.

Tom continued farming cattle for fattening and over the years he established an excellent flock of sheep. Tom was also well known for being an efficient and tidy farmer and an excellent ploughman. He was the first in Southland along with his father-in-law, Louis Garden, to grow flax for shelter. He also grew wheat and oats and with this interest in crop farming, he bought a threshing mill, chaff cutter, and traction engine in partnership with Billy Menpes of Orepuki.

With this threshing mill they travelled many miles between Pahia and Papatotara, being away from home sometimes for up to three weeks. While away from home they would live in a small hut which was towed behind the threshing mill and chaff cutter.

Memories of the traction engine towing the threshing mill up the Grindstone hill are vivid memories of his only child, their daughter Ethel Joyce.

Tom also went into partnership with his brother-in-law, Rueben Garden and Peter Cusson. They bought a sawmill, which was situated on the banks of the Grindstone Creek, at Waihoaka.

During the next few years they milled a block of bush and used the nearby Waihoaka Railway siding as the timber yard. Tom also assisted his brother-in-law Reuben to build the Waihoaka Hall in 1929. In this hall and many others throughout the surrounding districts, he spent many happy hours playing violin, accompanied by Billy Menpes on the piano, and between them they provided hours of splendid dance music. He also enjoyed playing the bagpipes.

In later years his interests were in the Masonic Lodge of Orepuki where he was Grand Master in 1939, and he was also an active member of the Orepuki Bowling Club, competing in competitions all over Westem and Central Southland, often bring home trophies he had won.

Eventually, in 1956, at the age of 72 years Tom sold his farm to his nephew Mervyn William Young, eldest son of his brother Irven Hair Young, and with his wife, moved to 120 Harvey Street, Invercargill where another nephew, Harold Stanley Young, had built a new home for their retirement.

Tom's retirement was a difficult time for him to adjust to, after the wide open spaces beside the sea of Te Wae Wae Bay and after being a 'man of the land', for sixty years, so he continued his interest in farming by grazing a few sheep on an adjacent section of land, which he had also purchased at the same time as the section for his new home.

He also joined the Waikiwi Bowling, Club, where he put in many hours a week for several years and once gain competing in competitions throughout Southland. Before he moved to Invercargill, he purchased a new 1952 De Soto car, which is still in the family today, and he drove this car until he was in his late eighties. His retirement also saw Tom purchase a small caravan and together with his wife he travelled the South Island several times and in later years enjoyed being driven on a days outing by his daughter Joyce.

During the later years he enjoyed the visits of his grandchildren Janice Yvonne and Donald Thomas as with failing health he was confined to home and was cared for by his wife until his death on 17 April 1978 at the age of 93 years.

After his death, his wife continued to live in their home until her death on 1 November 1985 at the age of 88 years.

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